Top agents and brands from the luxury travel sector were honoured at the first-ever Aspire Awards this week.
The glittering ceremony, organised by Travel Weekly’s sister title Aspire and held at the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel in London, recognised the best luxury travel sellers in the business, with 300 people in attendance.
It was a particularly special night for the directors of Radlett agency Beaver Travel – Andrew Devine and Gary Green – and Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio executive chairman of Silversea Cruises and co-chairman of Abercrombie & Kent, with the trio receiving Outstanding Contribution to Luxury Travel awards.
Tour operator Carrier was the big winner on the night, being the only company to pick up two awards – Luxury Tour Operator of the Year and Luxury Team of the Year.
Other agents to be recognised included Clare Levy of Different Planet Travel who picked up the gong for Travel Professional of the Year, and More Travel in Stamford which won the Independent Agency of the Year category.
Quintessentially Travel received the award for best concierge agency and Thames Travel in Richmond won Best Use of Content.
Winners
Outstanding Contribution to Luxury – Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio
Outstanding Contribution to Luxury – Gary Green and Andrew Devine, Beaver Travel
Independent Agency of the Year – More Travel
Travel Professional of the Year – Clare Levy, Different Planet Travel
Concierge Agency of the Year – Quintessentially Travel
Best Use of Content – Thames Travel
Extra Mile Award – Stuart Swords, Swords Travel
The One To Watch Award – Jamie Revell, Revells Travel
Aspire Supporter of the Year – Jeanne Lally, Travel Bureau
Best Luxury Tourist Board – Tourism New Zealand
Luxury Tour Operator of the Year – Carrier
Best Boutique Hotel – Southern Ocean Lodge, Kangaroo Island
Best Luxury Large Hotel Brand – Belmond
Best Air Service – Emirates
Premium Tour Operator of the Year – If Only
Luxury Ocean Cruise Line of the Year – Silversea Cruises
Luxury River Cruise Line of the Year – AmaWaterways
Luxury Adventure Brand of the Year – Abercrombie & Kent
Best New Product Launch – Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Edge
Sales Representation Company of the Year – GP Associates
Luxury Team of the Year – Carrier